


Feline Good

by lesbijane



Category: Lumberjanes
Genre: Gen, Not much happens here but! I wrote something and that's what matters, Slice of Life
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-09
Updated: 2020-06-09
Packaged: 2021-03-03 18:47:40
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,041
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24630304
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lesbijane/pseuds/lesbijane
Summary: To earn the Feline Good badge, a scout must show their connection to an animal companion. Preferably a cat, but any other animal works just fine. The scout must not only show that they can understand their animal friend's wants, needs, and comfort, but also that they & their companion are friends.
Comments: 3
Kudos: 12





	Feline Good

**Author's Note:**

> Realized I hadn't written any fics with Barney in it, and that's a crime! My fiancee also recently got a cat, so that inspired me to write a bit about Marigold, too.

“Mrrrowp?”

Barney felt a small paw bat at their face. It was still dark out when they opened their eyes. “Marigold?”

“Mrrow!” Marigold licked their face, nuzzling her head against it just a little.

“It’s… I don’t know _what_ time it is.” They sat up, taking a glance around the cabin. Everyone else was asleep. “What do you need, buddy?”

Marigold leaned over to nip at Barney’s hand.

“Ow!” Barney jerked their hand away, checking it quick – didn’t pierce the skin. Good. “Hey, that’s not nice.”

Marigold meowed again, drawn-out and whiny.

Barney frowned, watching Marigold’s tail swish from side to side. She didn’t want attention, she never bit unless she was play-fighting. They cleaned her litter yesterday, so that couldn’t be it, either. Her claws got a trim last week, it couldn’t have already been time to clip them again…

“Oh!” Barney looked around the cabin – unlike their old cabin, back with the Scouting Lads, there was only one food and water bowl here. “You need a snack?”

Marigold tilted her head to the side.

“Alright,” Barney put on their slippers, “Let’s go get you something nice. Do you want some of the tuna you keep begging the mess hall ladies for? I don’t know if they’re open before breakfast, but at least we can check!”

“Mrrr!” Marigold purred, and nudged Barney with her forehead.

Barney picked her up gently, and Marigold curled up in their arms. Barney liked carrying her – they always wanted an emotional support animal even before they went to camp, and now, Barney considered Marigold to be one of their best friends. Even if she was a cat. Actually, especially because she was a cat.

The walk wasn’t too long – the Zodiac cabin was very close to the mess hall, which Barney liked. Diane would keep suggesting that they should do a heist, but every time it was brought up, nobody could agree on the plan, and it would just be postponed more.

Barney thought that it’d just be easiest to walk in and ask for food, like regular people. But they understood that everyone else had fun debating the plans, heist or no.

“Hmm.”

The door to the mess hall was closed, unlike in the daytime, when it was held open with a chunk of wood so that campers could walk in and out whenever they wanted. It looked pretty empty.

Marigold stretched a little, careful enough to stay in Barney’s arms.

“Alright, you’re going on my shoulder.” Barney lifted Marigold carefully, making sure that she was balanced before letting her go. Then, they knocked on the door.

If April were there, Barney was pretty sure that she would’ve just walked right in. They could practically hear her voice now – _Just walk right on in! It’s practically Lumberjanes tradition to barge in uninvited!_

But Barney preferred to be patient and polite. Sure, they didn’t mind some troublemaking with friends, but they also liked the way any counselor smiled at them whenever they realized that there was at least _one_ camper around here who could follow the rules.

The door creaked open a bit. One of the mess hall ladies peered out – Barney couldn’t remember her name. She readjusted her glasses a little. “…Kid, it’s nearly 1AM.”

“I know, sorry!” Barney pointed up at Marigold, “My cat wanted a midnight snack, I guess. I didn’t know the hall was open this late!”

The lady laughed a little. “It isn’t. But sure, we can get your cat something, c’mon.”

The mess hall was oddly just as bright on the inside as it was in the daytime – the lights always bothered Barney, but they never really said anything about it. They made a mental note to talk to Rosie about it sometime, if they could work up the nerve.

“Meep!” Marigold perked up right when they walked in, and jumped off Barney’s shoulders to follow the mess hall lady. She purred loudly, and nearly made the lady trip as she leaned on her leg.

“This troublemaker!” The lady laughed, “Oh, I know this fish-beggar very well. All the other ladies dread fish day because of this rascal!”

“Yeah,” Barney laughed as well, “She gets excited pretty easy! I’m sorry about the time she tried holding the whole hall hostage until she got a bit of salmon.”

“It’s alright, we’ve dealt with worse.” She shook her head, “Harpies have been ravenous recently.”

Barney made a mental note to ask the rest of their cabin about that. “Glad she hasn’t been too much trouble. I’m sure she’d love some pats if any of you would like a formal apology from the mastermind herself.”

Marigold meowed, right on cue.

“Ah, no, Gertrude’s allergic to heck and back.” She smiled, “Sneezes up a storm if she gets near one of these things! She has to stay ten feet away from the Lads’ camp all the time now, poor gal. We appreciate it, though.”

She set a small dish of fish in front of Marigold, who ate it all in a ridiculously short amount of time.

“Jeez!” Barney picked her up again, “Am I feeding you enough? Or do you just really like wet food?”

Marigold just purred, and rolled over.

“Thanks again.” Barney gave Marigold some scritches under the chin, “If you could do one more favor, could you save some tater tots for my cabin? We’re Zodiac, I think it’s… the only thing we all can agree on.”

“ _Everyone_ here likes tater tots.” The lady sighed, “But… I’ll try to hold some for ya.”

Marigold batted at Barney’s face again.

“Ah! Okay, Marigold!” They laughed, “I think we should head back. You’re right, it’s really late.”

She crossed her arms. “Are you gonna be okay getting back to your cabin? Need me to walk you back?”

“I’m good!” Barney gave her a thumbs up, “Zodiac’s really close, and Marigold can protect me if we run into anything.”

“Just be careful!” The mess hall lady said, as Barney walked out, before shutting the door again.

It took a while for Barney’s eyes to readjust back to the dark of outside, and Marigold yawned quietly.

Barney poked Marigold’s nose. “It’s about time for your after-meal nap, huh?”

Marigold purred all the way back.


End file.
